Radio Mirror: The Magazine of Radio Romances (Jan-June 1943)

Jackie had to find a way out of all the misery and heartbreak her marriage to Dean had brought her—because now she knew what love really meant THE STORY JT was love— no, infatuation is the word— at first sight, the moment I laid eyes on Dean Hunter. Dean was rich, he was famous, and there was something about him that drew me irresistibly to him. But something drew me toward Tom Trumble, too— Tom, with his endearing puppy-dog awkwardness, his shy way of letting me know that he had lallen in love with me. I met Dean Hunter and Tom Trumble on the same day, for both of them had come to Washington to appear on the Hiya Soldier program! CvLi ^ secretary-assistant to Colonel Wilson, who was the producer of that radio show Great stars of stage, screen and radio appeared on Hiya Soldier but sometimes there were ordmarv d er wi H StarS-Tom was a solaier, wuh a sweet, true voice I sew Vurr^m,akeexcuses^y el'a dul,^ ,anyglrlwhohad iea a dull existence for as manv years as I had would be bewilS 34 The happiness of my marriage lasted one short night, and then Dean went away, leaving me puzzled and frightened. I followed him to New York, and once again things were wonderful-untU I met Diana Stuart. She was the girl Dean Hunter really loved, I was told but she was married. That didn't keep her from telling me bitterly that Dean Hunter had married me in order to escape the draft' Disillusioned, I fled back to Washmgton-and there was Tom TrunionmSJ^^^rappeara^e I knew ^ X Waiting for me And J «new then what real love was— I knew that what I felt w^ ^nothing but a shim, "wasln ^■S^SS* and J ways -Bf.a-i about Dean Hunter Tl "Tor^^-^er^ Said' nis honest eyes searching mine. "If this were any other time in the world except the end of 1941 I'd say, 'Take it easy, everything will turn out all right; just let's wait around and see what happens.' But that's not the way things are these days, darling. Don't you see — we don't know where I'm going to be day after tomorrow— and if anything is ever going to happen to you and me"— -his hand touched mine — "then we can't just sit around and— well, you the idea." "Yes," I said with resignation. "I get the idea." "Then you'll do it!" I shrank from the ordeal of wc' ing my husband. "You want me to have a showdown with ^le3!>' That's it, isn't it, Tommy"' "Yes," he said with a. long i intake Hid m Tlinm ..... of breath which was a sigh of re "that's just it." ,<, It was then I decided I »* tell Tom the thing that would ° terribly painful to my pnde "> j but which I must tell him » hoped to have any sort of derstanding between us. "You know," I said quietly, "that Dean Hunter only married me to escape the draft." Tom stared at me in wonderment. "Who told you such a thing?" he said. "Oh, the girl he used to go with — or perhaps still does — Diana Stuart. It was just a convenience, Tom — that's what it was — and I went for it, hook, line and sinker." "Well, maybe — but he couldn't have looked at you and known you without wanting you for his wife, no matter how convenient it was." 1 laughed at his quaint way of Putting this rather involved compliment. But my voice was close to tears and Tom seemed to sense 'he pain that was deep inside me. His arms went around me with great tenderness and he held me c'ose to him. Looking down into J?y eyes he said, "You've been through so much, Jackie, but just the to same I'm taking you over see Dean Hunter right now." "What good will it do?" I said httSS& Tom Trumble held me so close to him, crushed me against him with an intensity I never expected from him, pressed his P against mine so rapturously that I couldn't breathe under the unpact of his desire. The room had no boundaries, then, and there was nothing in my world except a vibration between us that made my head swim and caused me to wonder if my will would be strong enough to oppose his will. Then, as the waves of longing seemed about to overwhelm us we pulled apart from each other and Tom said huskily, 35 ***>L. 1S43